Kansas governor proposes paying for Medicaid expansion through legalizing medical marijuana
Kansas City Star (MO)
Laura Kelly proposed Monday that
Kansas pay for expansion of Medicaid with revenue from the sale and taxation of medical marijuana.
The plan would require lawmakers to legalize the sale of marijuana for medical use, which would likely be controversial. Kelly told reporters that the approach eliminates the argument that
Kansas cannot afford to expand Medicaid to provide health coverage for an additional 165,000 low-income residents.
"You have heard many of the comments coming from the opposition have been we can't afford it," Kelly said. "We have just designed a bill that pays for itself and more."